I am a career nanny and therefore have been around various illnesses and other gross and contagious things. That’s part of the job and would never react the way you did. We recently had an outbreak in the town I’m in and my two got it as well. I worked as usual.

My DD had a severe case of it. She looked like a plague victim as she was covered in pox. My DH caught it and had like one or two blisters and you would have thought the sky was falling from how loudly he complained about it.

It is contagious so wash your hands frequently particularly since they shed the virus in their poo. Also, try to disinfect all the toys, etc. which my nanny did weekly anyway.

You'll be fine. It's annoying but generally not bad in grownups.

Your employer is much closer to the accurate truth about this than anyone else you consulted OP.

You will probably be fine, and either way have certainly been exposed well before you saw the spots.

Of course, be on the lookout for symptoms, be diligent about hand washing etc... But don't panic.

I would have reacted exactly like your employer.

Teachers, daycare workers and nannies are exposed to HFM several times every year. I have never met any adult childcare worker who has gotten it.

Besides, it is too late for OP. Once the sores appear on a child, you have already been exposed.

Adults do not usually contract HFM, and those who have had chicken pox are even less likely.

If you have a healthy immune system and good hygiene habits, you have every reason to suspect that you will weather this just fine. If you don’t, you shouldn’t be a nanny anyway. This is not the field for anyone with immune deficiency or hygiene issues.

I am just flabbergasted that people on this thread act like an adult contracting HFM disease think it is NBD.

Maybe so for a child.
But just like chicken pox, an adult suffers like 100x worse if they get it.

For example, if a young child gets the chicken pox they suffer but get through it okay in the end.
An adult who gets it may fall so ill, that some are hospitalized for it.
And yes, an older person can die from it too.
Especially if they have a pre-existing condition.
One they may not know about it until they actually fall ill.

I know of a 55 year old woman who contracted HFM from her granddaughter & got so sick, she was out of work for two weeks and had to use her vacation time.
Her finger nails also fell off in the process.
Eww.
Who wants to go through THAT??! :0

Anonymous wrote:H/F/M disease IS common in young children, especially those under ten.
However just because it is common, does not lessen its severity at all.

Adults can contract it & it can keep them ill for weeks since an adult is going to be affected much worse.
And in rare, but possible cases it can lead to meningitis or spinal chord injury.
Any parent who would be okay with their nanny caring for two youngsters with this dreadful disease is one who needs to get a head check.

We are not discussing a cold or a scratch on the elbow.
We are talking about a potential life threatening disease.

You went straight to google didn’t you?

I’ve been around hand, foot and mouth and I couldn’t tell you how many times. Adults can catch it (even if you’ve had chicken box) and we actually had an outbreak in daycare with a few kids getting it and a couple teachers- it does get pretty bad w/adults (super painful). However, children who have caught hand foot and mouth already have it prior to showing the sores so most likely, if you were going to catch it, you would be showing signs right about.... NOW

I definitely think you overreacted and it’s super common in infants and toddlers. Although it’s pretty late, just be sure to wash your hands a little more and I would sanitize everything.
.

I’ve been around it once and I was fine.

Anonymous wrote:H/F/M disease IS common in young children, especially those under ten.
However just because it is common, does not lessen its severity at all.

Adults can contract it & it can keep them ill for weeks since an adult is going to be affected much worse.
And in rare, but possible cases it can lead to meningitis or spinal chord injury.
Any parent who would be okay with their nanny caring for two youngsters with this dreadful disease is one who needs to get a head check.

We are not discussing a cold or a scratch on the elbow.
We are talking about a potential life threatening disease.

Calm down, Mary. No nanny or teacher or daycare worker has ever died from HFM.

I have cared for many kids with HFM and never have gotten it. The mother is right - you have already been exposed. Care for the children and don’t worry. Either you will get it or not - too late now.

H/F/M disease IS common in young children, especially those under ten.
However just because it is common, does not lessen its severity at all.

Adults can contract it & it can keep them ill for weeks since an adult is going to be affected much worse.
And in rare, but possible cases it can lead to meningitis or spinal chord injury.
Any parent who would be okay with their nanny caring for two youngsters with this dreadful disease is one who needs to get a head check.

We are not discussing a cold or a scratch on the elbow.
We are talking about a potential life threatening disease.

HFM is VERY common with young kids. It’s also contagious for more than a week. I would be very annoyed if my nanny called me home for HFM.

I really don’t think you have much to worry about. I have been exposed to HFM at least 6 times over the years and have never contracted it. I think you overreacted in having the mom come home early from work. The internet is your friend, you should of researched it.

I am a full-time Nanny to a one-yr old and an almost three-yr old.
Have always gotten along well with their Mom.

I noticed both girls had red tiny spots on their soles of their feet today, then they had more on their palms as the day progressed.
I sent photos to my Aunt who is a M.D. and she thinks both girls have Hand/Foot/Mouth Disease.

I called the mom at work, asked her to come home because I didn’t feel comfortable being around that.
Their mum came home two hours earlier and told me that if I had the disease, then I would have contracted it already since her daughters were the most contagious before the bumps appeared.
She said I either have it.....
Or I do not.
But she says adults who have had chicken pox (I have) are already immune from ever contracting it.
However my Aunt has a friend that she says already had chicken pox contract it and in the end, her finger/toenails fell off.

What do you think?
Does my mb have a point?